Sandra Mandizvidza
6 September 2008
OUTSPOKEN Mbira songbird, Chiwoniso Maraire has relocated to the United States with her family, Standardplus has learnt.
"Chiwoniso and her two children have gone to USA and will not be coming back to Zimbabwe any time soon," said a friend who requested anonymity. "She only told me that she was relocating because of the prevailing political and economic situation in this country."
When Standardplus called Maraire's mobile phone, a woman who claimed to be the singer's maid said Maraire and her two children left for the USA two weeks ago.
"Chiwoniso is now living in America. I work for her," she said.
Efforts to get a comment from Maraire were fruitless, as she did not respond to e-mails sent to her.
Sammy Farai Monro, popularly known as Comrade Fatso and has been romantically linked with Maraire, refused to comment saying the best person to talk to was Maraire herself.
However, our source said by the time Maraire left the country she was no longer cohabiting with Fatso as the two had separated.
Maraire was quoted in the media saying: "Things are not changing on the political front as quickly as they should. The people of the older generation are not giving the younger generation what we need to make things happen.
"I can't do a gig because half the town is in darkness and there is no electricity and cash. How am I going to feed my kids? As a parent I have to make a plan for my children."
Maraire's profile at myspace.com also showed that she would be performing in US the whole of September.
Maraire, who has always been a straight talker when it comes to politics, has released a new 12 multilingual album entitled Rebel Woman. The album offers messages of hope, inspiration and resistance and features some of southern Africa's most respected musicians like Louis Mhlanga, Ivan Duran from Belize, Hugh Masekela and Zimbabwean drummer Sam Mataure.
The album opens with Vanorapa -- a song about the healing power of the elders.
In the song Maraire talks about the power of Shona spirituality and the ability of the elders to heal even after they have died.
The title track Rebel Woman is inspired by a poem about the role played by Zimbabwean women during the war for independence.
"The song is about the physical conditions of fighting and people having to pay for it. It is also a tribute to strong women who suffer because they do not follow the restrictions society tries to place on them," Maraire was quoted saying.
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